Resetting mechanisms for drum-type counters

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a resetting mechanism of the drums of a counter of the type in which the shaft supporting the drums has a longitudinal slot which, during a revolution of the slotted shaft in the counting direction, successively engages pawls associated with the drums. At the end of one revolution of the slotted shaft, all the drums are reset and display each a zero. The drums are interconnected by transfer pinions which freely rotate on a shaft which is parallel to the slotted shaft and is eccentric with respect to its journals. Driving means are provided for rotating the journals a first half-revolution to disengage the transfer pinions prior to a resetting operation, and a second half-revolution to re-engage them when the drums have been reset. The resetting mechanism includes a set of stops, one for each of the drums, which are mounted on a shaft parallel to the slotted shaft. Each stop has two diametrically opposed lobes. The shaft of the stops is driven by the shaft transfer pinions with a two to one reduction ratio. Each drum has a stud which cooperates with the cooresponding stop so that, during the disengagement of the transfer pinions, each stop rotates 90* to engage the stud of the corresponding drum when the said drum reaches the zero position. Each stop makes another 90* rotation when the transfer pinions are re-engaged, thereby avoiding the stud during a counting process.

United States Patent [1 1 Malaviale [451 Nov. 20, 1973 RESETTING MECHANISMS FOR DRUM-TYPE COUNTERS I [75] Inventor: Robert Malaviale, Fresnes, France [7 3] Assignee: Compteurs Schlumberger,

Montrouge, France 22 Filed: Nov. 17, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 307,341

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 19, 1971 France 7141459 [52] US. Cl. 235/144 DM [51] Int. Cl G06c 15/42 [58] Field of Search 255/60 R, 144 DM, 255/144 P, 144 D, 144 MG, 144 M, 144 SS,

Primary Examiner-Lawrence R. Franklin Attorney-William R. Sherman et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT Disclosed is a resetting mechanism of the drums of a counter of the type in which the shaft supporting the drums has a longitudinal slot which, during a revolution of the slotted shaft in the counting direction, successively engages pawls associated with the drums. At the end of one revolution of the slotted shaft, all the drums are reset and display each a zero. The drums are interconnected by transfer pinions which freely rotate on a shaft which is parallel to the slotted shaft and is eccentric with respect to its journals. Driving means are provided for rotating the journals a first halfrevolution to disengage the transfer pinions prior to a resetting operation, and a second half-revolution to re-engage them when the drums have been reset. The resetting mechanism includes a set of stops, one for each of the drums, which are mounted on a shaft parallel to the slotted shaft. Each stop has two diametrically opposed lobes. The shaft of the stops is driven by the shaft transfer pinions with a two to one reduction ratio. Each drum has a stud which cooperates with the cooresponding stop so that, during the disengagement of the transfer pinions, each stop rotates 90 to engage the stud of the corresponding drum when the said drum reaches the zero position. Each stop makes another 90 rotation when the transfer pinions are reengaged, thereby avoiding the stud during a counting process.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures RESETTING MECHANISMS FOR DRUM-TYPE COUNTERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to drum-type counters of liquid dispensing systems and more particularly to mechanisms for resetting such counters.

Briefly explained, the resetting mechanism is of the type in which drums rotate on a shaft having a slot or groove which, during a revolution of the shaft in the counting direction, successively engages pawls associated with the drums. At the end of one revolution of the slotted shaft, all the drums are reset and display each a zero. As the drums are interconnected by transfer pinions mounted on a shaft parallel to the shaft of the drums, it is provided for the disengagement of the transfer pinions prior to a resetting operation as well as for their re-engagement at the end of the resetting operation. In this type of resetting mechanisms, the main problem which is encountered is to prevent the drums from passing or overthrowing the zero position. This passing can be caused by either one drum driving the following one by friction, or an accelerated movement resulting, for example, from a quick movement of the operator. The effect of the accelerated movement can be greatly reduced by controlling the resetting of the drums by a suitable mechanism whose speed is made as uniform and limited as possible, by means of either a dashpot or a flywheel. However, this mechanism is not very efficient when the passing is due to frictional driving.

The object of the present invention is to provide a resetting mechanism of the drums ofa drum-type counter which overcome aforesaid drawbacks of prior techniques.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Disclosed is a resetting mechanism of the drums of a counter of the type in which the shaft supporting the drums has a longitudinal slot which, during a revolution of the slotted shaft in the counting direction, successively engages pawls associated with the drums. At the end of one revolution of the slotted shaft, all the drums are reset and display each a zero. The drums are interconnected by transfer pinions which freely rotate on a shaft which is parallel to the slotted shaft and is eccentric with respect to its journals. Driving means are provided for rotating the journals a first half-revolution to disengage the transfer pinions prior to a resetting operation, and a second half-revolution to re-engage them when the drums have been reset. The resetting mechanism includes a set of stops, one for each of the drums, which are mounted on a shaft parallel to the slotted shaft. Each stop has two diametrically opposed lobes. The shaft of the stops is driven by the shaft transfer pinions with a two to one reduction ratio. Each drum has a stud which cooperates with the corresponding stop so that, during the disengagement of the transfer pinions, each stop rotates 90 to engage the stud of the corresponding drum when the said drum reaches the zero position. Each stop makes another 90 rotation when the transfer pinions are re-engaged, thereby avoiding the stud during a counting process.

When a drum stops between the figures 9 and 0, the lobe of the corresponding stop is prevented from jamming against the stud of the drum by lifting the shaft supporting the stops. This lift is in a radial direction with respect to the drum and against the action of a spring. When a drum stops between the figures 0 and l, the corresponding stop drives the stud of the drum and, consequently the drum itself, so as to pass the zero position; hence the drum is driven by the slotted shaft right from the beginning of the resetting operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the manner in which the foregoing and other objects are attained in accordance with the invention can be understood in detail, a particularly advantageous embodiment thereof will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially cut front view of a row of drums of a counter when the resetting operation is completed; FIG. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views taken along the line A-B of FIG. 1 showing the different positions of the elements at different times during the operation of the resetting devices;

FIG. 2 shows the starting position of the elements;

in FIG. 3 a drum, a transfer pinion and a stop are in intermediate position during a resetting operation;

in FIG. 4 the drum has stopped at a position for which its stop jams on a corresponding stud; and

in FIG. 5 the stud of the drum has slightly passed the jamming position with the stop.

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating an example of mechanism capable driving the elements of the resetting device.

DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1, a first, second, third and fourth drum, referred as I, 2, 3 and 4, respectively, rotate on a shaft 5 which is supported by end plates 6 and 7. The drums 1-4 are free to rotate in the direction designated by the arrow G shown in FIG. 2. The first drum 1 includes a gear wheel 8 which is driven by the output shaft of a volume meter through usual gears, not shown. The first drum 1 drives the drums of higher order 2, 3 and 4 in a known manner, by means of drive loops 9, transfer pinions 30 and gear wheels 10. Each drum has a reset pawl 11 which engages, during the resetting operation, a longitudinal slot or groove 12 in the shaft 5. Each drum also has a stud l3 cooperating with a stop which will be described hereinafter. The transfer pinions 30 are mounted on a shaft 14 which is parallel to the shaft 5 and eccentric with respect to the common rotation axle of gears 15 and 16 journaled in the side plates 6 and 7. The shaft 5 of the drums also carries a gear 17.

The gears 15 and 17 are intermittently driven during the resetting operation of the drums by a driving mechanism such as that illustrated by FIG. 6 in which an interrupted double gear wheel 35 driven by a gear sector 32 driven by a spring 34 by means of a gear wheel 33. The interrupted double gear wheel first drives the gear 15 which rotates a half-revolution so as to disengage the transfer pinions 30 by the eccentricity of the shaft 14 with respect to the gears 15 and 16. Then, theinterrupted double gear drives the gear 17 which rotates a complete revolution to reset the drums, and finally again drives the gear 15 which rotates another halfrevolution so as to reengage the transfer pinions 30 with the drums.

Stops l8, I9, 20 and 21 cooperating with the studs 13 are mounted on a shaft 22 parallel to the shaft 5. The

shaft 22 rotates in oblong holes 23 and 24 pierced in the side plates 6 and 7. The longer axis of the oblong holes 23 and 24 is radially disposed with respect to the shaft of the drums. Each of the stops 18, 19, 20 and 21 have two diametrically opposed lobes cooperating alternately with the studs 13. The shaft 22 also carries, at one of its ends, a gear wheel 25 having twice as many teeth as the gear 16 with which it meshes. The other end of the shaft 22 carries a stop ring 31. Two springs 26 and 27 have one end which is hooked onto the shaft 22 while the other end is hooked onto fixed studs 28 and 29. The two springs 26 and 27 bring the shaft 22 back into the bottom a of the oblong holes 23 and 24, at a minimum distance of the shaft 5 of the drums.

The resetting mechanism operates as follows: At the end of a resetting operation, the shaft 22 and the studs 13 are in the position as shown in FIG. 2 and, a delivery of the liquid may then commence. After the delivery of liquid, the drums are in any position and the stud 13 of one of the drums can be in the b position as shown in FIG. 3. As soon as the resetting cycle begins, the gear 15, driven as explained hereinabove, as well as the gear 16 rotate a first half-revolution. The shaft 14 of the transfer pinions 30, eccentric with respect to the two gears 15 and 16, moves radially away from the shaft 5 of the drums, thereby disengaging the transfer pinions 30. The gear wheel 25, meshing with the gear 16 and having twice as many teeth as the gear wheel 25, rotates 90, thereby radially positioning the lobes of all the stops l8, 19, 20 and 21 with respect to the shaft 5, as shown in FIG. 3. The gear 15 is prevented from rotating by the interrupted double gear wheel. This latter drives the gear 17 of the shaft 5 which rotates a complete revolution. The different drums are then successively driven by the pawls l l engaging the slot 12 of the shaft 5 in the direction designated by the arrow G, up to the zero position at which the studs 13 are topped in the c position against the stops 18, 19, 20 and 21. These latter, along with the gear 15, are prevented from moving by means of the shaft 14, the gear 16, the gear wheel and the shaft 22. As a result, the drums cannot pass the zero position.

At the end of the resetting cycle, the interrupted double gear wheel again drives the gear 15 which rotates a second half-revolution, thereby bringing the shaft 14 to the position shown in FIG. 2 for which the transfer pinions are re-engaged.

The shaft 22 rotates 90 and the stops l8, 19, 20 and 21 return back to the position shown in FIG. 2 and thus avoid the engagement with the studs 13 when the drums rotate during a counting process.

When a drum stops between the figures 9 and 0, the stop corresponding to this drum may jam against the corresponding stud 13, as shown in FIG. 4. In this case, due to the oblong holes 23 and 24, the shaft 22 as well as the stops l8, 19, 20 and 21 move radially toward the end e of the oblong holes, opposing the action of the springs 26 and 27. Then, either the lobe of the stop slips in front of the stud 13 as illustrated by the d position, or the lobe of the stop drives the stud which rotates to thefposition corresponding to a stopping of the drum between the figures 0 and l, but in both cases the drum will display zero when the stud 13 reaches the c position shown in FIG. 3.

When a drum stops in a position such that the lobe of the corresponding stop engages the stud, asshown in FIG. 5, the stud 13 is driven by the stops l8, 19, 20,

or 21 when the gear 15 starts to rotate up to the f position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, which corresponds to a stopping of the drums between the figures 0 and 1.

The complete revolution of the shaft 5 brings all the 5 drums back to the zero position, for which the stud contacts the stop 18, 19, 20 or 21 as shown in FIG. 3.

Although the invention has been described with reference to an illustrative embodiment thereof, it will be understood that variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, the interrupted double gear wheel driven by a gear sector under the action of a spring was mentioned only for the purpose of illustration and can be replaced by any other equivalent means capable of disengaging the transfer pinions prior to the resetting operation, driving the shaft of the drums during the resetting operation and re-engaging the transfer pinions after the resetting operation is completed.

The invention has been described in detail with reference to an illustrative embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended 25 claims.

What is claimed is l. A counter having a plurality of numeral drums arranged in series on a shaft having a longitudinal slot a plurality of transfer pinions freely rotatable on a shaft parallel to the slotted shaft for interconnecting the drums, said shaft being eccentric with respect to its journals and, means for rotating the drums on the slotted shaft to indicate a series of progressively increasing values, including means for resetting the drums to display zero which comprises driving means for rotating the journals of the transfer pinions a first angle to disengage the transfer pinions prior to a resetting operation and a second angle to re-engage the transfer pinions at the end of the resetting operation a plurality of studs, one for each of the drums and rigidly connected thereto a shaft having its axis parallel to the axis of the slotted shaft and being driven by the shaft of the transfer pinions with predetermined reduction ratio and a plurality of stops, one for each of the drums, mounted on said shaft and having each active lobes, said stops being rotated during the disengagement of the transfer pinions to stop the corresponding stud when the drum reaches a zero position and being rotated during the re-engagement of the transfer pinions to avoid the stud during a counting process.

2. A counter having a plurality of numeral drums arranged in series on a shaft having a longitudinal slot a plurality of transfer pinions freely rotatable on a shaft parallel to the slotted shaft for interconnecting the drums, said shaft being eccentric with respect to its journals and, means for rotating the drums on the slotted shaft to indicate a series of progressively increasing values, including means for resetting the drums to display zero which comprises driving means for rotating the journals of the transfer pinions a first half-revolution to disengage the transfer pinions prior to a resetting operation and a second half-revolution to re-engage the transfer pinions at the end of the resetting operation a plurality of studs, one for each of the drums and rigidly connected thereto a shaft having its axis parallel to the axis of the slotted shaft and being driven by the shaft of the transfer pinions with a 2 to 1 reduction ratio and a plurality of stops, one for each of the drums,

mounted on said shaft and having each two diametrically opposed lobes, said stops being rotated 90 during the disengagement of the transfer pinions to stop the corresponding stud when the drum reaches a zero position and being rotated 90 during re-engagement of the transfer pinions to avoid the stud during a counting process.

3. A counter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shaft of the stops rotates in oblong holes having the longer axis radially disposed with respect to the slotted shaft I wheel. 

1. A counter having a plurality of numeral drums arranged in series on a shaft having a longitudinal slot ; a plurality of transfer pinions freely rotatable on a shaft parallel to the slotted shaft for interconnecting the drums, said shaft being eccentric with respect to its journals and, means for rotating the drums on the slotted shaft to indicate a series of progressively increasing values, including means for resetting the drums to display zero which comprises : driving means for rotating the journals of the transfer pinions a first angle to disengage the transfer pinions prior to a resetting operation and a second angle to re-engage the transfer pinions at the end of the resetting operation ; a plurality of studs, one for each of the drums and rigidly connected thereto ; a shaft having its axis parallel to the axis of the slotted shaft and being driven by the shaft of the transfer pinions with predetermined reduction ratio ; and a plurality of stops, one for each of the drums, mounted on said shaft and having each active lobes, said stops being rotated during the disengagement of the transfer pinions to stop the corresponding stud when the drum reaches a zero position and being rotated during the re-engagement of the transfer pinions to avoid the stud during a counting process.
 2. A counter having a plurality of numeral drums arranged in series on a shaft having a longitudinal slot ; a plurality of transfer pinions freely rotatable on a shaft parallel to the slotted shaft for interconnecting the drums, said shaft being eccentric with respect to its journals and, means for rotating the drums on the slotted shaft to indicate a series of progressively increasing values, including means for resetting the drums to display zero which comprises : driving means for rotating the journals of the transfer pinions a first half-revolution to disengage the transfer pinions prior to a resetting operation and a second half-revolution to re-engage the transfer pinions at the end of the resetting operation ; a plurality of studs, one for each of the drums and rigidly connected thereto ; a shaft having its axis parallel to the axis of the slotted shaft and being driven by the shaft of the transfer pinions with a 2 to 1 reduction ratio ; and a plurality of stops, one for each of the drums, mounted on said shaft and having each two diametrically opposed lobes, said stops being rotated 90* during the disengagement of the transfer pinions to stop The corresponding stud when the drum reaches a zero position and being rotated 90* during re-engagement of the transfer pinions to avoid the stud during a counting process.
 3. A counter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shaft of the stops rotates in oblong holes having the longer axis radially disposed with respect to the slotted shaft and spring means for constantly bringing back the shaft of the stops toward the slotted shaft.
 4. A counter as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a first gear wheel rigidly connected to the shaft of the transfer pinions and a second gear wheel rigidly connected to the shaft of the stops, said first and second gear wheels meshing together and said second gear wheel having twice as many teeth as said first gear wheel. 